Thinking about Change in Popular Music

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Introduction
    Popular music, simply referred to as pop music, is one of the most fascinating music genres of any generation. Human beings have come to like music as the preferred mode of entertainment since time immemorial, stretching as far back as the Neanderthal times all the way to the medieval times. However, the gradual changes and enhancements that have taken place in man's society have had an impact on the choice of music to which people like to listen. The changes in society have been translated and reflected in the changes in the popular music as well, with the constant variations in musical notations being passed down to successive generations over the years (Shuker, 2012). This essay will take a detailed look at the various changes that have taken place in popular music for it to evolve to the genre we know in the contemporary era.
Discussion
    One of the most conspicuous changes in popular music is that the modern form of the genre tends to be full of energy unlike before. Ever since the advent of rock and roll, there has been a higher tempo and energetic feel about popular music and the modern form is more dance-able due to invigorating beats (Longhurst, 2009). The upscale in the energy contained in popular music can be attributed to computer-generated beats in music production. The other conspicuous change in popular music is that it has become less and less organic. This is due to the mechanized nature of popular music nowadays unlike previously where there were fewer instruments to compose and produce music. Artistes of today are spoilt for choice when it comes to the music instruments that they can use ranging from sophisticated music software to electronic keyboards and drum machines.
    The advance in technology has rendered a significantly accurate beat to popular music than ever before. There is a notable consistency in popular music beats due to enhanced machines like click tracks and mechanized drums. This is in stark contrast to when the music tempo used to drift within a song when drummers had to manually play their instruments. The interjections and musical notes are well arranged and improved to give the beat a consistent and accurate rhythm. Elsewhere, popular music used to be a bit bouncy with every notation like in reggae or techno music. However, this has changed drastically as the modern day rock music, including black metal, has become less bouncy due to the contemporary audience that opts for smoother music with fluidity in its sound. This may also be due to the systematic arrangement of today's popular music.
    The progress in time has taken its toll in popular music because the genre as we know it today has become less acoustic. Ethnomusicologists concur that even music veterans from before like Bob Dylan preferred using the electronic guitar in favor of other acoustic instruments. There are a myriad of musical instruments and electronics that required to be powered by electricity, thus rendering the sound of contemporary popular music less acoustic. Another conspicuous alteration in popular music unlike in yesteryears is the fact that it has become much louder, but not necessarily noisy. This may be as a result of a vibrant generation of people who are energetic and they want to enjoy music in a manner that makes their presence hard to ignore. Audio tracks of popular music nowadays blaze through the speakers regardless of the volume of the audio. 
    Lastly, and perhaps more appropriately, is that popular music has become way too fast since most of the music produced and released is at a higher tempo unlike before. This is a synonymous aspect of the modern world where everything, from cars to trains to information, are way faster than ever before. It remains a fitting gesture that the contemporary popular music embraces this rise in tempo to resonate with the changing times, where most of the things move at a faster pace. In addition, the fast tempo augurs well with the energetic nature of the modern audience, as well as other aspects like loudness and accuracy in the beat synchronization. Overall, the fast pace only serves to bring out the aggregate quality of modern pop music.
Conclusion
    It goes without saying that popular music has had a rich history full of endless folklore, controversy, and anecdotes (Shuker, 2012). And like anything else under the sun, popular music has had to undergo various stages through various transformations over the years. The timbre and harmonic characteristics of this genre have changed a lot in terms of the aspects discussed above, including energy, beat accuracy, acoustics, tempo, and so on.  It is important to point out that these changes in pop music are as a result of conformity to the modern day audience and the constant advances in music making technology and instruments. The demand from the vibrant audience and the changing times have meant that popular music will not remain stagnant for long as it is bound to keep on changing even further.


ReferencesBottom of Form
Shuker, R. (2012). Understanding Popular Music Culture. Routledge.
Longhurst, B. (2009). Popular music and society. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

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